Today, about 1 million refugees from Syria as well as internally displaced persons from Iraq live in the region of Kurdistan, Iraq (Kurdistan Regional Government). Many of them have been staying in the 22 camps since summer 2014 without prospects of a good life. In the beginning, these camps were makeshift established with various materials. Later on in early 2015, NGOs built camps with tents and containers with international help. 

During the first months, only the Kurdish population and the Kurdish Regional Government provided for the many people living in the camps. International help progressed very slowly. 

There is a multitude of people of different ages living in the camps, as well as in the rest of the population of the autonomous republic of Kurdistan, who have to live with congenital or acquired disabilities under hard living conditions. The region lacks prenatal care for mothers as well as health care supported by the state that would ensure regular health checks for babies, toddlers, children and adolescents. For most of the population, there are no accessible as well as affordable ways of treatment and therapy of any kind. In addition, only members of the family are responsible for taking care of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities didn’t have a right to education and social participation in the Kurdish society until 20.03.2013.

The care for the refugees in the camps remains scarce; especially medical care as well as educational offers are insufficient. People with disabilities have no support and educational offers outside of the family.